WHEN grandmother Ann Turner bought a new knitting machine it led to a silent revolution among her friends.

After learning how to use the computer needed to work the machine, she discovered a lot of other people in her community were also desperate to learn about the new technology.

So the 64-year-old retired primary school teacher set up a computer club to teach the basics of getting to grips with not only computers but also the Internet and the world wide web.

Now the group, whose ages vary from 40 to 80, are able to go on line, surf the net and launch themselves into cyberspace and Mrs Turner is looking for help to provide the equipment necessary to open the lessons to more people.

She said: "As I taught myself how to use my new computer, I got more and more interested in computers in general and I was reading as much as I could about them.

"I was also using my computer to make posters for events at my church, Our Lady of Lourdes in Rottingdean, and people kept coming up to me and saying how good they were and they wished they knew how to do the same.

"So I decided to hold a one-off session in the parish hall to explain the basics of using computers. I was really surprised when more than 30 people turned up.

"I realised there is a trem-endous interest in computers especially among older people, the average age was 65.

"People want to be able to talk to their grandchildren about computers and the Internet or just say they have had a go. Hopefully it will no longer seem like the older generation are living in another era."

Mrs Turner, of Elvin Crescent, Rottingdean, has made the computer lessons at her home a monthly event and aims to prove that anyone can have a go. She said: "One or two people who came along were very nervous at first but I help them realise computers are just machines and they shouldn't be blinded by science."

Her own interest has led Mrs Turner to be an avid fan of the Internet. She said: "I think it's fun and my grandchildren think it's great that I know about it.

"I'm a member of an on-line knitting group and use the Internet to exchange ideas and solve problems.

"The web is also good to find out information and I loved watching the live coverage from NASA when they had a problem with the space station."

Not only has she got to grips with using computers but Mrs Turner is not afraid to take the back off hers and add modifications.

She added: "I'm not only interested in what a computer does but how it works." With the help of her friend Bob Saunders she showed her class how to make a computer from scratch to make them less afraid of things going wrong.

But now the grandmother-of-seven would like to be able to offer the classes to more people and hold them at the parish hall. To do this she is looking for someone to donate some computers, or lend them to the group once a month for the lessons.

She said: "People often feel awkward about coming to someone's house if they don't know them and I want people to feel they can drop in to the sessions if they are passing.

"It is also difficult for so many people to have hands-on experience with only one computer between us."

Mrs Turner gives her time for free but her lessons help raise money for charity. She charges £3 a lesson and donates £1 to Cafod (the Catholic overseas development charity) and £1 to the Whitehawk Playscheme project for the millennium. The final £1 covers expenses.

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